I want to do something else

CarVsTree · Dec 22, 2006

What is it you hate? Please explain. Perhaps you don't need a new career. Perhaps, you just need to find your niche in nursing.

smileysenior · Dec 22, 2006

1. The long work hours, you never get off on time, 12 hour shifts turn into 16s

2. Being harassedto come in on your days off and being made to feel guilty if u dont

3. working on holidays

4. No compassion, u walk around vomiting with a 103 temp and they wont let you go home, yet u are expected to be compassionate and come in extra, stay late, work under backbreaking conditions with too many critical patients

5. Constant threats of being sued from patients and familiy

6. Drama from coworkers

7. People trying to write u up for stupi BS

8. Anal retentive nurses

9. Night shift vs day shift drama

10. vultures

11. No respect or appreciation from anyone

12. anxiety, stress, depression

13. being edgy and moody all the time

14. ruining your health due to lack of sleep, stress, mental issues, eating crap

15. being criticized for little things

16. back problems

17. catching illnesses like crazy

18. the 4 years of school i went through only to be a high tech babysitter because everyone thinks u are stupid and ur job is so easy

19. sucking up to rude people

20. people who think the hospital is a hotel and demand stupid BS

21. calling MDs for everything- they get irritated

22. feeling burnout

23. shall I go on?

I wish I had known this when I was in school.

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Dec 22, 2006

Maybe you just need to work in a different area of nursing. Different specialty (sp). Just like NICU, MICU, ED... and the list goes on isn't for all nurses neither is a busy tele unit.

Swtooth

NaomieRN · Dec 22, 2006

Find something else to do before you hurt someone.

CarVsTree · Dec 22, 2006

1. The long work hours, you never get off on time, 12 hour shifts turn into 16s
2. Being harassedto come in on your days off and being made to feel guilty if u dont
3. working on holidays
4. No compassion, u walk around vomiting with a 103 temp and they wont let you go home, yet u are expected to be compassionate and come in extra, stay late, work under backbreaking conditions with too many critical patients
5. Constant threats of being sued from patients and familiy
6. Drama from coworkers
7. People trying to write u up for stupi BS
8. Anal retentive nurses
9. Night shift vs day shift drama
10. vultures
11. No respect or appreciation from anyone
12. anxiety, stress, depression
13. being edgy and moody all the time
14. ruining your health due to lack of sleep, stress, mental issues, eating crap
15. being criticized for little things
16. back problems
17. catching illnesses like crazy
18. the 4 years of school i went through only to be a high tech babysitter because everyone thinks u are stupid and ur job is so easy
19. sucking up to rude people
20. people who think the hospital is a hotel and demand stupid BS
21. calling MDs for everything- they get irritated
22. feeling burnout
23. shall I go on?
I wish I had known this when I was in school.

Wow! That sounds like a SCARY place to work. Please know, it is not like that everywhere.

I hope you find a better situation. Have you looked into other hospitals? Sounds like the place you are in is severely understaffed.

Again, I'm sorry for what you're going through and I hope you find something better.

CarVsTree · Dec 22, 2006

Find something else to do before you hurt someone.

Why would you say something so negative?

You're a student, correct? Perhaps you need to wait to see what your experience as a new nurse will be like.

CarVsTree · Dec 22, 2006

One more thing smiley, I perused one of your other posts and see that you work 5 12's/week. That is way too much! I did 4 12's a week in the summer as part of our summer incentive program and I was burnt to a crisp by end of summer.

You need to get some boundaries and not allow people to trample all over them. I wish you the best.

allnurses Guide · Dec 22, 2006

You definitely need to leave that toxic place with those crazy hours.

You might want to look into free-standing surgery centers or GI centers.

No holidays or weekends. You start an IV, do an assessment and send them off for their surgery or procedure. You recover them. You send them on their way.

Sounds like heaven . . ..

steph

smileysenior · Dec 22, 2006

Find something else to do before you hurt someone.

Seriously, if you are a student, you have no idea what you are talking about. Get some experience first and I think you may revise your comment. To everyone else, thank you for your suggestions! I will keep my eyes open for some other oppurtunities, anyone do or consider legal nurse consulting? I know the training is expensive.......but anyone doing this?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2006

certainly i'm not going to try to change your mind. good luck with whatever you do.

just some thoughts for people reading this thread.

1. the long work hours, you never get off on time, 12 hour shifts turn into 16s never happens to me. i've had a few 13-14 shifts however. it happens.
2. being harassedto come in on your days off and being made to feel guilty if u dont i get the occasional call, but my answering machine picks it up and i ignore it. i don't own any guilt.
3. working on holidays yep. i knew it was a 24-hour operation when i signed up for nursing.
4. no compassion, u walk around vomiting with a 103 temp and they wont let you go home, yet u are expected to be compassionate and come in extra, stay late, work under backbreaking conditions with too many critical patients
not my experience. the one and only time i got sick at work i was able to leave.
5. constant threats of being sued from patients and familiy believe it or not, i can't remember the last time i was threatened with a lawsuit. i've heard patients say they were suing their docs or the hospital, on occasion. but i certainly wouldn't say "constantly".
6. drama from coworkers doesn't happen to me. i live a drama free life at work.
7. people trying to write u up for stupi bsthe only person that can write me up is my charge nurse and my manager and this has never happened....ever.
8. anal retentive nurses you say this likes it's a bad thing.
9. night shift vs day shift drama again, not drama, but there's always been misunderstanding of what the other shift goes through.
10. vultures nope
11. no respect or appreciation from anyone i don't need it to validate my existance. i get a paycheck that pays my middle class life, that's enough.
12. anxiety, stress, depression many new grads experience this, but it should be acknowledged and dealt with.
13. being edgy and moody all the time
14. ruining your health due to lack of sleep, stress, mental issues, eating crap
15. being criticized for little things
16. back problems i have a strong healthy back after 15 years in med-surg. yes, i know i'm fortunate
17. catching illnesses like crazymost likely stress related. i was only sick once last year.
18. the 4 years of school i went through only to be a high tech babysitter because everyone thinks u are stupid and ur job is so easy surely not everyone feels this way. again, however, i don't need validation for my existance from anyone.
19. sucking up to rude people yep, gotta do this. i hate it.
20. people who think the hospital is a hotel and demand stupid bs i don't let it get to me and do the best i can to make them happy and comfortable.
21. calling mds for everything- they get irritatednot my problem if they get irritated.
22. feeling burnout a big problem in nursing. we gotta take care of ourselves.
23. shall i go on?
i wish i had known this when i was in school.

there's a tremendous reality shock when we realize it's not all we learned in nursing school.

good luck to you in whatever you do. you definately sound burned out and i hope while you're saving your money you can do some positive things to turn your health around and find some peace of mind.

Lizzy6 · Dec 22, 2006

Hi Smileysenior. As others suggested, maybe try a different specialty. Have you thought about psych? I have worked various units and was getting to the point that I wanted to leave nursing; due to the short staffing, lack of ancillary staff, the not so pleasant co-workers, the crappy environment. I really enjoyed direct pt care, however I just could not take those conditions any longer. I was physically & mentally exhausted, also seemed to get run down so easily, when previously I had great health & enjoyed working out. I left bed-side nursing and worked psych. Worked with adult and adolescents. Did that for about 5 years, then got into doing case management and I really love it. Still like psych and do that prn.